Wednesday, September 27 | Thursday, September 28

Robin Mazumder

Robin Smith Memorial Lecture (Landscape Architecture)

Robin Mazumder is a Vanier Scholar and doctoral candidate in cognitive neuroscience at the University of Waterloo, where he is studying the psychological impacts of urban design.

His research is inspired by his passion for urbanism as well as his front line experience working as an occupational therapist in mental health. He graduated with his Master’s in Occupational Therapy from the University in Toronto in 2011. In addition to working in health care, Robin has also taught courses at the university level and has run a start-up business incubator at one of the country’s leading polytechnic institutes.

Robin has a long track record of community service. While doing his undergraduate degree in biology at the University of Victoria, he worked extensively in community inclusion for youth with disabilities. He was also the recipient of a $10,000 award from the Canadian International Development Agency which he used to develop inclusive programming for youth with disabilities in Russia. In recent years he has launched many community building initiatives, ranging from pop-up bike lanes in support of cycling infrastructure to bringing light therapy to public libraries. As a board member, he helped shape the award winning City of Edmonton civic engagement initiative Make Something Edmonton. He also sat on the board of REACH Edmonton Council for Safe Communities where he provided strategic direction on initiatives that addressed health and wellness needs for refugees and immigrants. In addition, he was co-chair of the community well-being working group with the Mayor’s Task Force to End Poverty. His community contributions were formally recognized when he was named one of Edmonton’s Top 40 under 40 by Avenue Magazine and an Edmontonian to Watch by Metro News.

Most recently, he has served as Guest Librarian with the Kitchener Public Library and currently sits on the City of Kitchener Cycling Advisory Committee and the University of Waterloo Senate.